Thank Goodness for the Little Things

I have been discovering more and more this year that it’s the little things that really make life pleasant. I’ve always found joy in them to some extent (see previous blogs!), but in the midst of an extra busy year at St. Thomas, with more activities and more reading and writing-intensive classes than last year, time to stop and smell the roses has been more valuable than ever.

There is something in small moments, isn’t there? A charm that surpasses any all-consuming elation because mystery can be present, too, and often the small things can be overlooked. But, there’s just something about walking from the main to south campus in dress clothes, absolutely barefoot, in 75-degree weather. Conversely, there’s something about running the track circling the football field when it’s chilly and rainy.

There have been little times to hearken back to my childhood and collect some of the prettiest fallen leaves – red ones are my favorites. Or to thumb wrestle or have an Oreo Twist-Off (Explanation: Grab a friend and an Oreo. Have him or her take hold of one half with one hand, you do so with the other half. Twist in opposite directions, pulling the Oreo apart. Whoever gets the side with the frosting wins! Loser eats dry side of the Oreo.). I’ve also found joy in class assignments, like sitting under a tree reading St. Therese of Lisieux ‘s depictions of her “Little Way.”

So this leads me to Thanksgiving. Believe me, I’m a stickler for celebrating holidays as they come. I even have a string of colored “holiday” lights that shift its name to the day to be celebrated: “Check out my Halloween lights!” I’ve always thought that Thanksgiving gets cheated because many people skip right over it into Christmas.

Actually, Thanksgiving is actually an awesome year-round deal. No, that does not mean that every day I want the turkey and stuffing and cherry pie (okay, maybe the pie…) or that it’s fine to ignore the day altogether for what follows. Every day, I want the family and friends and the attitude of thankfulness.

Life is lived to be grateful for our many gifts. Some of the best gifts come in small packages, sometimes harder to see, but so worth looking for.

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